Devotional Thoughts

"They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down: For He who has compassion on them will lead them and will guide them to springs of living water." Isaiah 49:10

I love how this verse is pointing us to heaven. A place where we will not hunger, thirst or be struck down. We will be lead to the ultimate living water! From this verse I am lead to a few verses in Revelations which speak of what Heaven is going to be like. Rev. 7:16-17 says, "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

I cannot wait for the day when all my tears will be wiped away and I can drink from the Springs of the Water of Life 24/7!!

Here are a few quotes I came across in my devotional reading:

"Come my heart, be calm and hopeful today. Clouds may gather, but the lord can blow them away. Since God will not fail me, my faith shall not fail; and, as He will not forsake me, neither will I forsake Him. Oh! for a restful faith!" - C. H. Spurgeon

"God does not grant the necessary grace before the trial. He builds the bridge when we reach the trial. We often fear that we shall sink under the fiery trials that we see others endure. We see in the distance and are afraid of the mystery and anguish of what is to befall us; but we have not yet reached the crisis, and grace is not vouchsafed before it is needed. 'Jesus comes with our distress.'" - Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"If you will do all the possible things, God will take care of the impossible."

Krista Jones
8.8.09


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 120-132
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 38-40 & Acts 16:1-21
Historical: Psalm 70-73
Chronological: Isaiah 1-4
Blended: Obadiah & Acts 8:1-25

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Then What’s Next To Do?

"Everyone who asks receives . . ." Luke 11:10

Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . " ( James 1:5 ), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13 ). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.

"Everyone who asks receives . . . ." This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (seeMatthew 5:45 ). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.

"If any of you lacks wisdom . . . ." If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means "beg." Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3).

By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost for His Highest"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 119:89-176
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 36-37 & Acts 15:22-41
Historical: Psalm 66-69
Chronological: 2 Kings 15 & 2 Chron. 26
Blended: Deut. 32-34 & Acts 7:44-60

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Quotes from Elisabeth Elliot

Here lies the tremendous mystery - that God should be all-powerful, yet refuse to coerce. He summons us to cooperation. We are honoured in being given the opportunity to participate in his good deeds. Remember how He asked for help in performing his miracles : Fill the waterpots, stretch out your hand, distribute the loaves.

Elisabeth Elliot
Gateway to Joy


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 119:1-88
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 34-35 & Acts 15:1-21
Historical: Psalm 58-65
Chronological: Jonah
Blended: Deut. 30-31 & Acts 7:22-43

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wait in Faith

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:27-31

My study notes on this verse say, "As in many psalms of praise, Isaiah now stresses the goodness of God after describing His majesty. Such a God is able to deliver and restore His distressed people if they will wait in faith for Him to act. They are to trust in Him and draw strength from Him."

In the margin of my Bible I wrote the date 3-23-01 and beside it, "Treatment is over . . . very tired . . . Lord give me strength!" I had just completed 6 months of treatment: Chemo, Rituxan and 17 days of Radiation. I was growing fuzzy hair on my head, had a burned, pealing gooy round spot on my leg from the radiation, was overweight, had yellow skin, my fingers were numbed by the chemo and I was exhausted. Now that everything was over Eric let his guard down and got sick for 3 months. He slept and was depressed. Poor guy went through so much and kept going even when he had no strength that when he let his guard down he fell down.

I had no idea what was to happen next. I was lost in the fact that I had just completed my goal of getting through treatment and now I had no goals to reach other then go from one stressful scan and appointment to another waiting for the dreaded disease to come back. Like the people of Israel, God had delivered me and was in the process of restoring me. My new goal was to wait in faith for Him to show me the way. In doing so I had to continually draw upon Him for strength. And I did so gladly.

Krista Jones
8.6.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 115-118
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 32-33 & Acts 14
Historical: Psalm 51-57
Chronological: 2 Kings 14 & 2 Chron. 25
Blended: Deut. 28-29 & Acts 7:1-21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 106-107
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 28-29 & Acts 13:1-25
Historical: Psalm 40-45
Chronological: 2 Kings 9-11
Blended: Deut. 22-24 & Acts 5:22-42

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 108-114
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 30-31 & Acts 13:26-52
Historical: Psalm 46-50
Chronological: 2 Kings 12-13 & 2 Chron 24
Blended: Deut. 25-27 & Acts 6

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Jacob's Defining Moment

"So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, 'It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared'" (Gen 32:30).

Every believer in Jesus Christ must have a defining moment in their lives. Jacob is about to meet his brother Esau in the desert after years of separation. The last time he saw him was when he manipulated the birthright from him years ago. He assumes Esau is going to try to kill him. He sends gifts ahead as a peace offering. And he spends a restless night in prayer asking God to spare his and his family's life.
Jacob has lived a life of control and manipulation. Yet, there is something in Jacob God finds worthy of redemption. He has a heart that genuinely wants to serve and be used of God. But God must do something in him to chisel away the bad traits in his life.

He sends an angel in the form of a man to wrestle away the striving in Jacob. The only way to remove the striving in Jacob is to injure his physical abilities. "When the angel saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man'" (Gen 32:25-26). Jacob's natural abilities were so great that God literally had to make Jacob a weaker man physically in order for God's power to be manifested in his life. When this happened a turning point took place in Jacob. A new nature was birthed in him that required a total trust in God. His name was changed in recognition of this defining moment. "Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome'" (Gen 32:28).

My friend Bob Mumford once said, "Beware of any Christian leader who does not walk with a limp." If a leader has not wrestled with God over their natural abilities and come to a place of total dependence on God, that leader will live a life of striving and manipulation.

Let go and let God do the work needed in you. When this happens even your enemies will be a peace with you.

By Os Hillman, taken from "Today God Is First"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 103-105
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 25-27 & Acts 12
Historical: Psalm 36-39
Chronological: 2 Kings 5-8
Blended: Deut. 19-21 & Acts 5:1-21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

"I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the Name of the LORD." Zephaniah 3:12

When true religion is ready to die out among the wealthy it finds a home among the poor of this world, rich in faith. The LORD has even now His faithful remnant. Am I one of them?

Perhaps it is because men are afflicted and poor that they learn to trust in the name of the LORD. He that hath no money must try what he can do on trust. He whose own name is good for nothing in his own esteem, acts wisely to rest in another name, even that best of names, the name of Jehovah. God wilt always have a trusting people, and these will be an afflicted and poor people. Little as the world thinks of them, their being left in the midst of a nation is the channel of untold blessings to it. Here we have the conserving salt which keeps in check the corruption which is in the world through lust.

Again the question comes home to each one of us. Am I one of them? Am I afflicted by the sin within me and around me? Am I poor in spirit, poor spiritually in my own judgment? Do I trust in the LORD? This is the main business. Jesus reveals the name, the character, the person of God; am I trusting in Him? If so, I am left in this world for a purpose. LORD, help me to fulfill it.

By C.H. Spurgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 96-102
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 22-24 & Acts 11
Historical: Psalm 32-35
Chronological: 2 Kings 1-4
Blended: Deut. 16-18 & Acts 4:23-37

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

July's Memory Verse

I John 5:13

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of od, so that you may know that you have eternal life."

I John 5:13 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)

June's Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:25
May's Memory Verse: James 1:2-4
April's Memory Verse: Jeremiah 30:17
March's Memory Verse: James 1:5
February's Memory Verse: John 15:5
January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21
December's Memory Verse: Lamentations 3:22-23
November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15
October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3
September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9
January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 90-95
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 20-21 & Acts 10:24-48
Historical: Psalm 26-31
Chronological: Obadiah & Psalm 82-83
Blended: Deut. 13-15 & Acts 4:1-22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

The Lamb of God

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

That ancient priestly system was not perfect. It was only the shadow of a perfect, eternal priesthood to be brought about by the Savior-Priest, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son. Every priest in the order of Levi knew only too well his own sin. This was the point of the breakdown. When that priest stood before God in the holiest place to present an atonement for the sins of the people, he was face-to-face as well with the reality of his own failures and shortcomings.

In our own day, we recognize what this means to us as liberated and forgiven believers. Singing the hymnody of Isaac Watts, we revel in Christ's atonement and God's forgiveness:

Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain, Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain.

But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, Takes all our sins away A sacrifice of nobler name, And richer blood than they.

The Old Testament priest knew that the ritual of sacrifice could not completely atone for sins or change man’s sinful nature. In that priestly system, God "covered" the sin until the time when Christ would come. Christ, the Lamb of God, would completely bear away the sin of the world.

Thought: All sacrifices in the Levitical system pointed ahead to the eternal sacrifice of God, the Lamb of God. Observance of the Lord's Supper points back to that sacrifice. The sins of you and me and all the world are heaped upon Him who takes all our sins away.

By A.W. Tozer, taken from "Jesus, Our Man in Glory" (Chapter 1)


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 86-89
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 17-19 & Acts 10:1-23
Historical: Psalm 21-25
Chronological: 2 Chron. 19-23
Blended: Deut. 10-12 & Acts 3

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Lessons from Hezekiah

In my reading this morning I have learned 4 lessons from Hezekiah.

In Chapter 36 of Isaiah we come to a situation where Sennacheib invades Judah. They king of Assyria sent Rabshaken to speak to the officials of King Hezekiah in front of all the people. He mocked the Lord God and told them to not trust when Hezekiah tells them that the Lord would deliver them out of the hands of the king of Assyria, "So not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 'Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, "The Lord will deliver us," Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?" Isaiah 36:16-18

Now if I were in the crowd and heard this I would start to doubt what Hezekiah told me about God protecting us from such a great nation as Assyria. As it was, history had proven that Assyria was a powerful nation who had defeated many other nations. From outward appearances it would seem that the same thing would happen to our nation.

But Hezekiah didn't fall for what was seen. In Isaiah 37 we come to see the account of the officials bringing Rabahaken's message to Hezekiah, "And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord." (Isaiah 37:1).

Lesson 1 from Hezekiah: Do not listen to anyone but the Lord God even though it seems like they know what they're talking about and history backs them up.

He was fearful yet he wanted to seek the Lord to see what to do, "Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord." (Isaiah 37:14).

Lesson 2 from Hezekiah: Take your matter directly before the Lord God.

I love Hezekiah's prayer.

"O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. so they have destroyed them. Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Lord, are God." (Isaiah 37:15-20)

Lesson #3 from Hezekiah: Be specific in your prayer and ask God exactly what you need. Pour out your heart to Him. But do it to Him and Him alone and no one else. For He is the only one who can help you.

Throughout the rest of chapter 37 we see that God did indeed deliver Hezekiah from the hands of the king of Assyria. God heard his prayer.

"The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, 'He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield, or throw up a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he will not come to this city,' declares the Lord. 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake." (Isaiah 37:31-35)

The verse that stuck out at me was Isaiah 37:31, "The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward."

The ultimate lesson from Hezekiah is that we need to be Believers that take root downward and remain strong and stable. And by this we will be able to bear fruit upwards.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)

"so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Col. 1:10)

I pray that we will learn from Hezekiah and take our trials before the Lord and before Him alone. And ultimately that we may be fruit bearers for the Lord Jesus!!!!!

Krista Jones
8.5.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 80-85
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 14-16 & Acts 9:22-43
Historical: Psalm 17-20
Chronological: I Kings 22; 2 Chron. 18
Blended: Deut. 7-9

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 74-77
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 8-10 & Acts 8:26-40
Historical: Psalm 1-8
Chronological: I Kings 17-19
Blended: Deut. 1-3 & Acts 1

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 78-79
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 11-13 & Acts 9:1-21
Historical: Psalm 111-118
Chronological: I Kings 20-21
Blended: Deut. 4-6 & Acts 2:1-21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Are You Obsessed by Something?

"Who is the man that fears the Lord?" Psalm 25:12

Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, "No, by nothing," but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to "live and move and have our being" in God ( Acts 17:28 ), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.

If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.

"He himself shall dwell in prosperity . . ." ( Psalm 25:13 ). God will cause us to "dwell in prosperity," keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our "life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. "God is our refuge . . ." ( Psalm 46:1 ). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.

By Oswald Chamber, taken from "My Utmost for His Highest"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 70-73
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 5-7 & Acts 8:1-25
Historical: Malachi
Chronological: I Kings 15:25-16:34 & 2 Chron. 17
Blended: Joel & Phil. 4

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Pay It Forward

"I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." John 13:15

Pay It Forward is a movie about a 12-year-old’s plan to make a difference in the world. Motivated by a teacher at his school, Trevor invites a homeless man to sleep in his garage. Unaware of this arrangement, his mother awakens one evening to find the man working on her truck. Holding him at gunpoint, she asks him to explain himself. He shows her that he has successfully repaired her truck and tells her about Trevor’s kindness. He says, “I’m just paying it forward.”

I think this is what Jesus had in mind in one of His last conversations with His disciples. He wanted to show them the full extent of His love. So before their last meal together, He took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and began to wash His disciples’ feet. This was shocking because only slaves washed feet. It was an act of servanthood and a symbol that pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice, passion, and humiliation on the cross. His request to His disciples was: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). They were to “pay it forward.”

Imagine how different our world would look if we gave the kind of love to others that God has given us through Jesus. — Marvin Williams

Christ’s example teaches us
That we should follow Him each day,
Meeting one another’s needs,
Though humble service be the way. —Hess

To know love, open your heart to Jesus. To show love, open your heart to others.

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 66-69
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 3-4 & Acts 7:44-60
Historical: Zech. 8-14
Chronological: I Kings 15:1-24 & 2 Chron. 13-16
Blended: Jeremiah 51-52 & Phil. 3

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Open your Bible to Teach Someone

"This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; . . . that you will do many good things with the help of Christ to bring glory and praise to God." Philippians 1:9 & 11

When you take food to the poor, that's an act of worship.

When you give a word of kindness to someone who needs it, that's an act of worship.

WHen you write someone a letter to encourage them or sit down and open your Bible with someone to teach them, that's an act of worship.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Savior"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 58-65
Old and New Testaments Together: Job 1-2 & Acts 7:22-43
Historical: Zech. 1-7
Chronological: 2 Chron. 10-12
Blended: Jeremiah 50 & Phil. 2

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Walk as Children of Light

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but ow are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8

God makes it very plain to us that w were not only in darkness - that we were darkness. But He makes it just as plain that since "Christ indwells us, we actually are light.

Here the cutting edge of this "clear stone" truth cleaves right to the dark core of our unwillingness to act as though what God says is true. "Cuts right through" to the dark center of our refusal to be what God has said we are in Christ.

" . . . but now are ye light in the Lord . . . "

We are beginning this year with the Lord of Light Himself.

"I am come a light inot the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness."

Either Jesus Christ knew about Himself and spoke accurately of Himself or he did not. He has said He will never leave us nor forsake us. He has declared Himself to be the Light of the world. The diamond-clear words of Isaiah ring down through the ages, reaching us still diamond-clear: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee!"

The glory . . . the very character . . . the very Light of God HImself is risen upon us and we sit in the corner and clutch at the darkness of our pet iniquities and complain "humbly" that we have lost our touch with God. My life is full of problems too. Just like yours. I also feel at times that I have lost my touch with God.

What we feel is beside the point.

Jesus is the Light of the world and He has risen in our lives and no amount of darkness can ut Him out! This is fact:

. . . I am the light of the world . . In Him is no darkness at all.

By Eugenia Price, taken from "Share my Pleasant Stones"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 51-57
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 9-10 & Acts 7:1-21
Historical: Zephaniah & Haggai
Chronological: I Kings 12-14
Blended: Jeremiah 48-49 & Phil. 1

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

This is the way

"Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left." Isaiah 30:18-21

The above verse was given to me when I was sitting up late at night the night before I was to attend Ecola Bible School in 1991. I remember being uneasy because I didn't know truly if this was what I should have been doing and I was fearful of being away from home where I didn't know anyone. As I read through Isaiah I came across Isaiah 30:21. It was like the Lord was telling me this was indeed the direction He wanted me to go. Over the years I've grown to love the verses above verse 21. I hope that the Lord will speak to you through these verses like He's spoken to me through them.

Krista Jones
8.4.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 46-50
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 6-8 & Acts 6
Historical: Nahum & Habakkuk
Chronological: Proverbs 30-31
Blended: Jeremiah 46-47 & Matthew 28

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 36-39
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 1-2 & Acts 5:1-21
Historical: Obadiah & Jonah
Chronological: Eccl. 7-12
Blended: Jeremiah 40-42 & Matthew 27:27-50

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 40-45
Old and New Testaments Together: Esther 3-5 & Acts 5:22-42
Historical: Micah
Chronological: I Kings 10-11 & 2 Chr. 9
Blended: Jeremiah 43-45 & Matthew 27:51-66

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Praise Him!

"Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!" Psalm 148:3

The sky and the stars, the waves and the sea,
The dew on the grass, the leaves on a tree
Are constant reminders of God and His nearness,
Proclaiming His presence with crystal-like clearness.

By Helen Steiner Rice

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 32-35
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 12-13 & Acts 4:23-37
Historical: Amos 6-9
Chronological: Eccl. 1-6
Blended: Jeremiah 37-39 & Matthew 27:1-26

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

He Loves You

"God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The concept of love has been so used, abused, and misused today that you can hide almost anything behind it. That's because most people are looking for love in all the wrong places. They know they need it; they know they've got to have it. But where to find it and how to know if it's authentic is another questions.

If you feel like that, I have good news for you: God is love! I know you've heard that before, but I hope that little phrase will take on some knew meaning for you today. Let me start with a definition: The love of God is His joyful self-determination to reflect the goodness of His will and glory by meeting our needs.

The Bible is absolutely clear on this: there is no definition of love that means anything unless it is rooted in God. No matter how you define love, if it doesn't begin with God, it is flawed. It will either be incomplete or imbalanced, but either way it will be incorrect because God's character defines love.

Love is not just saying words. That's rap. True love is always expressed. God expressed His love in creation. You can look around you and see proof of God's love. But His greatest demonstration of love is in redemption - Jesus Christ hanging on the cross for all to see.

Once you see that, you see why true love is willing to pay a price for the one loved. It does not ask, "What am I going to get out of this" but, "What am I going to put into this so that the one I love can get something out of it?" God's love is not tied to the worth of the person being loved. That's good news because the only thing you and I are worthy of is judgement!

But don't misunderstand. The fact that God's love is unconditional doesn't make it weak and accepting of everything. Here's a major difference between divine love and what so often passes for love. Much of what people call love is just mush. God's love always makes judgement calls.

If you have experienced God's love, you've got the real thing. Don't settle for a weak imitation.

By Tony Evans, taken from "Time to Get Serious"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 26-31
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 10-11 & Acts 4:1-22
Historical: Amos 1-5
Chronological: Proverbs 27-29
Blended: Jeremiah 34-36 & Matthew 26:51-75

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

The Corner Stone

"Therefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed." Isaiah 28:16

This stone that Isaiah is talking about is Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone, the foundation that is firmly placed and will not be disturbed. We all have a choice to place our lives upon this stone or not. And based upon that choice our lives will be forever changed both for the good and bad. Isaiah 8:14 says, "Then He shall become a sanctuary; to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over . . . " If we choose to accept Jesus as our Saviour He becomes the cornerstone of our lives. He becomes the foundation on which gives us strength. But, if we reject Him the stone becomes a rock by which we strike our foot on and fall.

I love what I Peter 2:4-9 says, "And coming to Him as a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture; "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builder rejected, this became the very corner stone," and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

We who believe in and know Jesus are firmly planted upon this corner stone. And by doing so we therefore become precious stones being build up by the Lord. I guess I see it that we are someone's first stepping stone that lead's to the foundation that is the corner stone that is Jesus Christ. We have been called out of darkness and into His marvelous light and need to share that with those who have rejected Jesus. It is our goal and life purpose!

Krista Jones
8.3.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 21-25
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 7-9 & Acts 3
Historical: Joel
Chronological: Proverbs 25-26
Blended: Jeremiah 32-33 & Matthew 26:26-50

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Why He died for Us

"But God demonstrates His own love love for us in this: While we were still sinner, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

It would seem Lord,
When You have been our dwelling lace
In all generations . . .
When You have guided us
Undergirded us
And enveloped us with love . . .
When You are Bread for the hungry
Rest for the weary
Strength for the powerless
And Joy unspeakable . . .
It would seem Lord
That we would have more to offer
Than lust
Greed
Hatred
War . . .

But that's precisely why
You came to die;
In the hearts of men
Things are not as they seem.

By Ruth Harms Calkin, taken from "Women's Devotional Bible 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 17-20
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 4-6 & Acts 2:22-47
Historical: Hosea 8-14
Chronological: I Kings 9 & 2 Chron. 8
Blended: Jeremiah 30-31 & Matthew 26:1-25

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

War in Heaven

"War broke out in heaven . . . . [And Satan] was cast to the earth." Revelation 12:7-9

Philip Pullman is a gifted writer of fantasy books. His Dark Materials trilogy includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass and is very popular among young readers. But below the surface of these sympathetic characters and compelling subplots is a sinister purpose. The story culminates in a great war against God.

In these books, Pullman views the fall of Satan as a righteous cause for personal independence from God’s “tyrannical” control. He implies that Satan’s attempt to usurp the throne of God was the right thing to do!

In the book of Revelation, we read of the endtimes: “War broke out in heaven . . . . [And Satan] was cast to the earth” (Rev. 12:7-9). That future war is being preceded by an earthly conflict on the battlefield of our minds.

We must recognize Satan for what he is—a liar (John 8:44). His strategy is to take God’s words out of context and twist them into falsehood (Gen. 3:1-7). Our best defense against him is to hold firmly to the truth of God’s Word (Eph. 6:10-18).

Our loving heavenly Father is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). But neither will He force our obedience. He leaves the choice to us. — Dennis Fisher

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Psalm 9-16
Old and New Testaments Together: Neh. 1-3 & Acts 2:1-21
Historical: Hosea 1-7
Chronological: Psalm 134 & 146-150
Blended: Jeremiah 27-29 & Matthew 25:31-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Job 40-42
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 6-8 & John 21
Historical: Ezek. 44-45
Chronological: I Kings 7 & 2 Chr. 4
Blended: Jeremiah 22-23 & Matthew 24:29-51

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Psalm 1-8
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 9-10 & Acts 1
Historical: Ezek. 46-48
Chronological: I Kings 8 & 2 Chr. 5
Blended: Jeremiah 24-26 & Matthew 25:1-30

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Forgiven or Unforgiven

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." Romans 4:7-8

A generation ago when the deity of Christ was under attack from several directions at once and was being stoutly defended by Bible-believing Christians everywhere, a little aphorism was often heard uttered with emphatic finality: “It’s not the sin question, it’s the Son question!”

This was a short way of saying that the great problem before the human race was not its sin but its opinion of Jesus Christ, and that the disposition of the individual soul on the final day would be based not upon its relation to sin but upon its having accepted the deity of Christ as an article of faith.

If we take into consideration that this saying was a blunt sword forged for the heat of theological battle we can understand its popularity and sympathize with those who swung it so boldly against the enemies of truth; nevertheless we need not overlook its weakness nor accept it as a complete truth, which it certainly is not.

One count against this aphorism is that it is an aphorism. If great truth could be compressed into an epigram we have several hundred pages of Scripture to account for that need never have been written. I shy away from every effort to expound difficult doctrine by means of a pious quip; it’s just too neat and at best can present only one facet of the truth, leaving the other two or ten or fifty facets hidden from view.

We’ll pass over the alliteration, which is of course wholly artificial and only one degree removed from a pun, and state simply that the whole thing is false to the facts. Granted that solid truth might once in a rare while get itself crammed into an epigram, and even that the epigram might conceivably contain a pun, this “not the sin question but the Son question” is still not true. It dismisses too lightly something that God takes mighty seriously; viz., the fact of human sin and the solemn responsibility of every man for the sins he has committed.

Thought: How blessed is the person whose sin is forgiven and will never count against him or her. But what about unconfessed, unforgiven sin--ours?

By A.W. Tozer, taken from "The Size of the Soul"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 38-39
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 3-5 & John 20
Historical: Ezek. 42-43
Chronological: I Kings 5-67 & 2 Chr. 4
Blended: Jeremiah 20-21 & Matthew 24:1-28

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

The Voice of Adventure

"Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But hose who give up their lives will save them." Luke 17:33

There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don't listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won't feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it's to live.

Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe . . .

Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your heart, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is? - He Sill Move Stones

By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 35-37
Old and New Testaments Together: Ezra 1-2 & John 19:23-42
Historical: Ezek. 39-41
Chronological: I Kings 5-6 & 2 Chr. 2-3
Blended: Jeremiah 18-19 & Matthew 23:23-39

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Don't Be Offended

"Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Luke 7:23).

It is sometimes very difficult not to be offended in Jesus Christ. The offenses may be circumstantial. I find myself in a prison-house -- a narrow sphere, a sick chamber, an unpopular position -- when I had hoped for wide opportunities. Yes, but He knows what is best for me. My environment is of His determining. He means it to intensify my faith, to draw me into nearer communion with Himself, to ripen my power. In the dungeon my soul should prosper. The offense may be mental. I am haunted by perplexities, questions, which I cannot solve. I had hoped that, when I gave myself to Him, my sky would always be clear; but often it is overspread by mist and cloud. Yet let me believe that, if difficulties remain, it is that I may learn to trust Him all the more implicitly -- to trust and not be afraid. Yes, and by my intellectual conflicts, I am trained to be a tutor to other storm-driven men.

The offense may be spiritual. I had fancied that within His fold I should never feel the biting winds of temptation; but it is best as it is. His grace is magnified. My own character is matured. His Heaven is sweeter at the close of the day. There I shall look back on the turnings and trials of the way, and shall sing the praises of my Guide. So, let come what will come, His will is welcome; and I shall refuse to be offended in my loving Lord. --Alexander Smellie

Blessed is he whose faith is not offended, When all around his way
The power of God is working out deliverance For others day by day;
Though in some prison drear his own soul languish,
Till life itself be spent,
Yet still can trust his Father's love and purpose,
And rest therein content.
Blessed is he, who through long years of suffering,
Cut off from active toil,
Still shares by prayer and praise the work of others,
And thus "divides the spoil."
Blessed are thou, O child of God, who sufferest, And canst not understand
The reason for thy pain, yet gladly leavest
Thy life in His blest Hand.
Yea, blessed art thou whose faith is "not offended"
By trials unexplained,
By mysteries unsolved, past understanding,
Until the goal is gained. --Freda Hanbury Allen

Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 32-34
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 34-36 & John 19:1-22
Historical: Ezek. 35-38
Chronological: Proverbs 22-24
Blended: Jeremiah 15-17 & Matthew 23:1-22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Two for one deal

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

I love this verse because it's like a two for one deal.

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down" - I have often found myself with anxious thoughts or dealing with things that cause anxiety to well up within me. And the statement is so true as you physically "feel" the weight of your anxiety within your soul and body which affects your health, sleep and emotions.

It is good to know that we have a loving Father who cares for our anxious thoughts as the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 94:18-19, "If I should say, "My foot has slipped," your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul."

On the flip side, the rest of the verse says, "but a good word makes it glad." How often it is true that our words can bring uplifting joy into someone's heart. Proverbs 15:23 says, "A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!"

Are you anxious about anything? Does it control who you are, your sleep, your actions and words? I know there are often times when I'm anxious it tends to seep out of me through my words.

Nip anxiety in the bud and turn your anxious thoughts to the Lord before it seeps out of you. Keep yourself in His Word and close by His side in order to be used by Him to be an encouragement at the right time.

Krista Jones
7.17.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 29-31
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 32-33 & John 18:19-40
Historical: Ezek. 32-34
Chronological: Proverbs 19-21
Blended: Jeremiah 12-14 & Matthew 22:23-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

He is like a bright light

"His glory covers the skies, and His praise fills the earth. He is like a bright light. Rays of light shine from His hand, and there He hides His power." Habakkuk 3:3-4

Father, you never promised us that this world would be easy. And yet, all of us can look ahead to the city that's set on a hill, to the lights that call us to eternity. And we take hope.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Savior"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 24-28
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 30-31 & John 18:1-18
Historical: Ezek. 28-31
Chronological: Proverbs 16-18
Blended: Jeremiah 9-11 & Matthew 22:1-22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Job 17-20
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 25-27 & John 16
Historical: Ezek. 21-23
Chronological: Proverbs 10-12
Blended: Jeremiah 3-5 & Matthew 21:1-22

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Job 21-23
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 28-29 & John 17
Historical:Ezek. 24-27
Chronological:Proverbs 13-15
Blended: Jeremiah 6-8 & Matthew 21:23-46

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

A Few Words

"Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:21

Only 297 words are required to sum up in English all of God's moral law in the Ten Commandments. God distilled it even more hen He said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 22:37-39). Only sixty-five words make up the definitive teaching on prayer - the Lord's Prayer - in Matthew 6:9-13.

Man doesn't have that capacity for essential brevity. There once was a governmental study to regulate the price of cabbage that run over twenty-six thousand words!

Thank God for the provision of His profound Word.

By John MacArthur, taken from "Truth for Today"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 14-16
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 23-24 & John 15
Historical: Ezek. 18-20
Chronological: Proverbs 7-9
Blended: Jeremiah 1-2 & Matthew 20:17-34

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

We May Speak for God

"Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before Me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth" (Jeremiah 15:19).

Poor Jeremiah! Yet why do we say so? The weeping prophet was one of the choicest servants of God and honored by Him above many. He was hated for speaking the truth. The word which was so sweet to him was bitter to his hearers, yet he was accepted of his LORD. He was commanded to abide in his faithfulness, and then the LORD would continue to speak through him. He was to deal boldly and truthfully with men and perform the LORD's winnowing work upon the professors of his day, and then the LORD gave him this word: "Thou shalt be as my mouth."

What an honor! Should not every preacher, yea, every believer, covet it? For God to speak by us, what a marvel! We shall speak sure, pure truth; and we shall speak it with power. Our word shall not return void; it shall be a blessing to those who receive it, and those who refuse it shall do so at their peril. Our lips shall feed many. We shall arouse the sleeping and call the dead to life.

O dear reader, pray that it may be so with all the sent servants of our LORD.

By C.H. Surgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 11-13
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 21-22 & John 14
Historical: Ezek. 16-17
Chronological: Proverbs 4-6
Blended: Hos. 12-14 & Matthew 20:17-34

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Unity

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing - life forever." Psalm 133

This morning the Lord led me to ponder what unity really meant to the church body. I found it interesting that when I looked up the word unity that it pretty much fit into the above verse. Unity is "The state or quality of being on; singleness. The state or quality of being in accord; harmony. The singleness or constancy of purpose or action; continuity."

Psalm 133 states how important it is that we all dwell together in unity. My study notes on this chapter say of the oil coming down upon Aaron's beard and the edge of his robes, "The oil of Aaron's anointing saturated all the hair of his beard and ran down on his priestly robes, signifying his total consecration to holy service. Similarly, brotherly harmony sanctifies God's people."

My study notes say of the dew of Hermon, "A dew as profuse as that of Mount Hermon would make the mountains of Zion richly fruitful. So would brotherly unity make Israel richly fruitful. The two similes are well chosen: God's blessings flowed to Israel through the priestly ministrations at the sanctuary - epitomizing God's redemptive mercies - and through heaven's dew that sustained life in the field - epitomizing God's providential mercies in the creation order."

Unity is something that is often hard to obtain. It refers to a body of people and yet, through my experience, I realized that it really starts within us. We can make or break unity by our choices, by what we allow into our lives and how we conduct ourselves. If we are not in the Word, studying it, reading it and memorizing it, we become parched and dry. You may think that what you do or don't do won't affect anyone else. But what you don't realize is that it is the core of how unity is made or broken.

If you are parched you can't produce or maintain much for very long. It's kind of like a desert. Even in it's driest seasons a desert can produce life but it's hard to sustained it. Yet, when we are walking with the Lord and taking steps to be like Him we are like the dew that covered Mount Hermon and produced life all around it. That kind of life is contagious and spreads and draws people to be as one.

What are you like lately? Are you wallowing in the desert and making conditions around you dry and desolate? Or are you like dew dropping on those around you causing life and bonding? Unity is not someone else's job. It's your job and starts with you.

Krista Jones
4.10.08

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 8-10
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 19-20 & John 13:21-38
Historical: Ezek. 13-15
Chronological: Proverbs 1-3
Blended: Hos. 9-11 & Matthew 19

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Out of the Wreck I Rise

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35

God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, "I will be with him in trouble . . ." ( Psalm 91:15 ). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. "In all these things we are more than conquerors . . ." ( Romans 8:37 ). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are "super-victors" in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.

"Shall tribulation . . . ?" Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to "separate us from the love of Christ." Never allow tribulations or the "cares of this world" to separate you from remembering that God loves you ( Matthew 13:22 ).

"Shall . . . distress . . . ?" Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?

"Shall . . . famine . . . ?" Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be "more than conquerors," even while we are being starved?

Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. "Out of the wreck I rise" every time.

By Oswald Chambers, taken from "My Utmost For His Highest"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 5-7
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 17-18 & John 13:1-20
Historical: Ezek. 11-12
Chronological: Song of Solomon
Blended: Hos. 5-8 & Matthew 18: 21-35

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

June's Memory Verse

Ephesians 4:25

"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."

Ephesians 4:25 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)


Mary's Memory Verse: James 1:2-4

April's Memory Verse: Jeremiah 30:17

March's Memory Verse: James 1:5

February's Memory Verse: John 15:5

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

December's Memory Verse: Lamentations 3:22-23

November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15

October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3

September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Job 1-4
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 15-16 & John 12:27-50
Historical: Ezek. 8-10
Chronological: Psalm 119:89-176
Blended: Hos. 1-4 & Matthew 18:1-20

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Esther 1-5
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 10-12 & John 11:30-57
Historical: Ezek. 1-3
Chronological: Psalm 119:1-88
Blended: 2 Kings 22-23 & Matthew 16

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Esther 6-10
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 13-14 & John 12:1-26
Historical:Ezek. 4-7
Chronological: I Kings 3-4, 2 Chron. 1 & Psalm 2
Blended: 2 Kings 24-25 & Matthew 17

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

See What God Has Done!

"The heavens tell the glory of God." Psalm 19:1

How vital that we pray, armed with the knowledge that God is in heaven. Pray with any lesser conviction and your prayers are timid, shallow, and hollow. But spend some time walking in the workshop of the heavens, seeing what God has done, and watch how your prayers are energized . . .

Behold the sun! Every square yard of the sun is constantly emitting 130,000 horse power, or the equivalent of 450 eight-cylinder automobile engines. And yet our sun, as powerful as it is, is but one minor star in the 100 billion orbs which make up our Milky Way Galaxy. Hold a dime in your fingers and extend it arm's length toward the sky, allowing it to eclipse your vision, and you will block out fifteen million stars from your view . . . By showing us the heavens, Jesus is showing us His Father's workshop . . . He taps us on the shoulder and says, "Your Father can handle that for you." - The Great House of God

By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Neh. 12-15
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 7-9 & John 11:1-29
Historical: Jeremiah 51-52
Chronological: I Kings 1-2, Psalm 37, 71 & 94
Blended: 2 Kings 19-21 & Matthew 15:21-39

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

God is Enough

"Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." Joshua 21:45

The greatest lesson a soul has to learn is that God, and God alone, is enough for all its needs. This is the lesson that all God's dealings with us are meant to teach, and this is the crowning discovery of our entire Christian life. GOD IS ENOUGH!

No soul can really be at rest until it has given up dependence one everything else and has been forced to depend on the Lord alone. As long as our expectation is from other things, nothing but disappointment awaits us. Feelings may change, doctrines and dogmas may be upset, the Christian work may come to nought, prayers may seem to lose their fervency, promises may seem to fail, everything that we have believed in or depended on may seem to be swept away, and only God is left - just God, the bare God if I may be allowed the expression, simply and only God.

If God is what He would seem to be from His revealings; if he is indeed the "God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3); if He is our shepherd; if He is really and truly our Father, if, in short, all the many aspects He has told us of His character and His ways are actually true, then we must come to the positive conviction that He is, in Himself alone, enough for all our needs and that we may safely rest in Him absolutely and forever.

By Hannah Whitall Smith, taken from "Women's Devotional Bible 2"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Neh. 10-11
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 4-6 & John 10:24-42
Historical: Jeremiah 49-50
Chronological: Psalm 111-118
Blended: 2 Kings 17-18 & Matthew 15:1-20

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Morning Thoughts

If you know me you will know that I'm a person who loves to get up with the birds and spend time with the Lord. I especially love it when spring comes around and I can watch the day awaken and listen to the birds sing their songs. And spending time with the Lord always awakens me along with nature.

Over the past year I've also started to dive into photography. My heart sings and feels one with God when I go on a photo walk and photograph nature. I love to stop look and listen to what's around me and train my eyes to see the smallest detail God has created for me to enjoy.

Below is my journal entry one summer morning after seeing, listening and feeling the world wake up.

"O God, You are my God, I shall seek You earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You. In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better then life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Fro You have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You: Your right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:1-8

"By awesome deeds You answered us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea; who establishes the mountains by His strength, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy." Psalm 65:5-8

I love the last part, "You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy." Anyone who has taken the time to watch the sun rise or set can literally hear it especially in the morning. It's like the earth and animals wake up with it and start to sing their morning songs. I especially like watching sunsets on the ocean beach. Listening to the waves crash against the shore as it says good night to the sun and the gulls cry out as they take their last flight over the sand.

Thank you Lord for the beautiful world you created us to live in, for blessing me with your grace and salvation and making my dawn and sunset shout for joy with you.

Krista Jones
6.24.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Neh. 8-9
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Chron. 1-3 & John 10:1-23
Historical: Jeremiah 46-48
Chronological: I Chron. 26-29 & Psalm 127
Blended: 2 Kings 15-16 & Matthew 14:22-36

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

A Morsel of Kindness

"Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need but does not help. Then God's love is not living in that person." I John 3:17

Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, tells of the time he was walking down the street and passed a beggar. Tolstoy reached into his pocket to vie the beggar some money, but his pocket was empty. Tolstoy turned to the man and said, "I'm sorry, my brother, but I have nothing to give."

The beggar brightened and said, "You have given me more than I asked for - you have called me brother."

To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast. - He Still Moves Mountains

By Max Lucado, taken from "Grace for the Moment"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Neh. 7
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 28-29 & John 9:24-41
Historical: Jeremiah 42-45
Chronological: Psalm 131, 138-139 & 143-145
Blended: 2 Kings 13-14 & Matthew 14:1-21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the BibleA

The Messiah

I am truly amazed with the book of Isaiah. I've read it several times over the years yet this time around is different. Amongst the different prophecies and judgments, I have seen verses that are peppered throughout about the coming Messiah.

"A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover He will seek justice and be prompt in righteousness." Isaiah 16:5

This verse leads me back to Isaiah 11 in which it talks about how the Messiah, like David, will be empowered by the Holy Spirit which will give Him wisdom to "undertake wise purposes and with the power to carry them out." (Study notes). If we jump to John 8:29 we read the words of Jesus about Himself, "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always to the things that are pleasing to Him."

"In that day there will be an alter to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord near its border. It will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them." Isaiah 19:19-20. My study notes say of verse 20 that "The "Savior" is the promised Son of the house of David" which refers me back to Isaiah 11.

Whatever Isaiah prophesied about Jesus came true. God sent Jesus to deliver us (Isaiah 19:20); He will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and will carry out all that God instructs Him to do (Isaiah 11:2-4 & John 8:29); His throne will be established in lovingkindness, He will judge in faithfulness, seek justice and be prompt in righteousness (Isaiah 16:5)

After reading these few verses I see that we have to respond to Jesus. We have a choice to either follow Him or not. God sent Him to be our Savior. To save us from sin and death. To give us eternal everlasting joyful life - John 3:16.

Krista Jones
8.1.08


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Neh. 4-6
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 25-27 & John 9:1-23
Historical: Jeremiah 38-41
Chronological: I Chron. 23-25
Blended: 2 Kings 10-12 & Matthew 13:31-58

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: Ezra 8-10
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 19-21 & John 8:1-27
Historical: Jeremiah 32-34
Chronological: 2 Samuel 24, I Chron. 21-22 & Psalm 30
Blended: 2 Kings 4-6 & Matthew 12:24-50

Sunday:

Beginning to End: Neh. 1-3
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 122-24 & John 8:28-59
Historical: Jeremiah 35-37
Chronological: Psalm 108-110
Blended: 2 Kings 7-9 & Matthew 13:1-30

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Making Decisions by Hearing God

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways." Isaiah 55:8-9

God speaks to his children in many varied ways. God has said that his ways are not our ways. If left to our reasoning, we will fail to fully walk in the full counsel of God, which leads to poor decisions.

Thus, our goal is to avoid being deceived and to develop a listening ear that hears the voice of God with confidence. Our goal is to have such intimacy with God that we can walk in the full blessing of our decisions and to be assured they are not based on our own reasoning alone. This does not mean that we do not use the intellectual and logical skills that He has equipped us with.

A.W. Tozer said that the man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice - any choice will be the right one. J. Oswald Sanders explains his method of receiving guidance from God for decisions; "I try to gather all the information and all the facts that are involved in a decision, and then weigh them up and pray over them in the Lord's presence, and trust the Holy Spirit to sway my mind in the direction of God's will. And God generally guides by presenting reasons to my mind for acting in a certain way."

The apostle Paul said, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). God has equipped us with everything we need to make good decisions. Hearing His voice is the first step toward making right choices in life.

Do you have a decision to make? Submit that decision to the Lord, ask God for clarity. Ask Him to make the desires of your heart the same desires that He has for you in this matter. Await His perfect timing on the matter. Then you can be assured of making the right decisions.

By Os Hillman, taken from "TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Ezra 4-7
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 16-18 & John 7:28-53
Historical: Jeremiah 30-31
Chronological: Psalm 95 & 97-99
Blended: 2 Kings 1-3& Matthew 12:1-23

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Developing Talents at Any Age

"For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him." Ecclesiastes 8:6

I have known my daughter-in-law, Judi, since she was a teenager. Watching her grow into a mature and creative adult has been a pleasure. She is a successful singer, wife, mother and dress designer. Her home, where she often hosts Bible studies, is a masterpiece design of her creation. We are all generally proud of our children, but I say this about Judi because I remember when she felt like she could do very little, and had few talents to offer the Lord. The truth is, God has given talents to each of us. We cannot all sing or design a home that looks like Judi's, but we can develop the talents God give us for His glory.

Life is an ongoing process, gradual growth in grace and in the talents God has placed within us. The talents we use change from season to season so there is a lifetime to develop them. God will bring to the surface at the proper time talents that laid dormant for years.

You never need say, "What's the use now - my life is half over?" As we press on in our walk with God, we realize that what He has for us is far too much to cram into the first thirty, forty or fifty years of our lives.

"There is a time for everything," Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, so keep looking for and developing new talents. God will bring them out in you, as you yield yourself to Him.

By Nancy Corbett Cole, taken from "Women's Devotional Bible 2"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: Ezra 1-3
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 13-15 & John 7:1-27
Historical: Jeremiah 26-29
Chronological: 2 Samuel 22-23 & Psalm 57
Blended: I Kings 21-22 & Matthew 11

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

No Fear of Death

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11).

The first death we must endure unless the LORD should suddenly come to His temple. For this let us abide in readiness, awaiting it without fear, since Jesus has transformed death from a dreary cavern into a passage leading to glory.

The thing to be feared is not the first but the second death, not the parting of the soul from the body but the final separation of the entire man from God. This is death indeed. This death kills all peace, joy, happiness, hope. When God is gone, all is gone. Such a death is far worse than ceasing to be: it is existence without the life which makes existence worth the having.

Now, if by God's grace we fight on to the end and conquer in the glorious war, no second death can lay its chill finger upon us, We shall have no fear of death and hell, for we shall receive a crown of life which fadeth not away. How this nerves us for the fight! Eternal life is worth a life's battle. To escape the hurt of the second death is a thing worth struggling for throughout a lifetime.

LORD, give us faith so that we may overcome, and then grant us grace to remain unharmed though sin and Satan dog our heels!

By C. H. Spurgeon, taken from "Faith's Checkbook"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 35-36
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 10-12 & John 6:45-71
Historical: Jeremiah 23-25
Chronological: Psalm 5, 38 & 41-42
Blended: I Kings 19-20 & Matthew 10:21-42

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Not of the Extraordinary

"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside, of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" (Exod. 3:1,2).

The vision came in the midst of common toil, and that is where the Lord delights to give His revelations. He seeks a man who is on the ordinary road, and the Divine fire leaps out at his feet. The mystic ladder can rise from the market place to Heaven. It can connect the realm of drudgery with the realms of grace.
My Father God, help me to expect Thee on the ordinary road. I do not ask for sensational happenings. Commune with me through ordinary work and duty. Be my Companion when I take the common journey. Let the humble life be transfigured by Thy presence.

Some Christians think they must be always up to mounts of extraordinary joy and revelation; this is not after God's method. Those spiritual visits to high places, and that wonderful intercourse with the unseen world, are not in the promises; the daily life of communion is. And it is enough. We shall have the exceptional revelation if it be right for us.
There were but three disciples allowed to see the transfiguration, and those three entered the gloom of Gethsemane. No one can stay on the mount of privilege. There are duties in the valley. Christ found His life-work, not in the glory, but in the valley and was there truly and fully the Messiah. The value of the vision and glory is but their gift of fitness for work and endurance. --Selected

Compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman, taken from "Streams in the Desert"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 32-34
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 7-9 & John 6:22-44
Historical: Jeremiah 18-22
Chronological: 2 Samuel 19-21
Blended: I Kings 16-18 & Matthew 10:1-20

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Moving Ahead of God

"The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Gen. 16:2

Have you ever felt that you were supposed to receive something from God but it just hasn't materialized? You wait and wait until finally you decide that maybe God wants you to help out the situation. This is exactly what happened in the case of Abraham and Sarah.

God had promised them a son, but as years passed by they were still without a child. They took their eyes off the One who had made the promise and decided to take matters into their own hands. So, Abraham lay with Sarah's maidservant, Hagar, and she bore a son, Ishmael (see Genesis 16). The son of promise, Isaac, came later through Sarah, just like God had promised. However, the modern day conflict between the Arabs and Israelis is the fruit of this act of disobedience that occurred centuries ago.

I recall a time when I launched a business enterprise only to fall on my face. It had all the hallmarks of a Godly venture, but I was premature and guilty of presumption instead of faith. The resulting financial losses are lasting reminders of a decision that was based on a horizontal choice instead of a vertical dependence that required patience until God said, "Go."
The way to avoid making "Ishmael" decisions is to seek God fully on the matter in prayer, be in an accountable relationship with your spouse and close associates who know you well, and gain agreement through two or more people. The Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"(Jer 17:9).

Whenever we want something strongly, it is a dangerous place because we no longer look at the matter objectively with a willingness to change our viewpoint. We have to approach a matter as being "dead" to the issue in order to fully see God's perspective.

By Os Hillman, taken from "TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 28-31
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 4-6 & John 6:1-21
Historical: Jeremiah 14-17
Chronological: Psalm 26, 40, 58, 61-62 & 64
Blended: I Kings 14-15 & Matthew 9:18-38

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 21-24
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 24-25 & John 5:1-24
Historical: Jeremiah 7-9
Chronological: Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28 & 55
Blended: I Kings 10-11 & Matthew 8:18-34

Sunday:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 25-27
Old and New Testaments Together: I Chron. 1-3 & John 5:25-47
Historical: Jeremiah 10-13
Chronological: 2 Samuel 16-18
Blended: I Kings 12-13 & Matthew 9:1-17

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Wisdom from Psalms

"Your loving kindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgements are like a great deep. O Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light." Psalm 36:5-9

"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and he delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand." Psalm 37:23-24


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 18-20
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 22-23 & John 4:31-54
Historical: Jeremiah 4-6
Chronological: 2 Samuel 13-15
Blended: I Kings 8-9 & Matthew 8:1-17

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

"Because you made all things."

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you made all things. Everything existed and was made, because you wanted it." Revelation 4:11

Farther in heave, hear our praise. Holy Father, we are thankful that we have more than enough clothes to wear, thankful that we have places to sleep and that we won't go to bed hungry. We're thankful that even if all of this were taken away from us, we'd still have our hope of eternity. You have been gracious to us.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Savior"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 13-17
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 19-21 & John 4:1-30
Historical: Jeremiah 1-3
Chronological: Psalm 32, 51, 86 & 122
Blended: I Kings 6-7 & Matthew 7

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

The Incomparable Christ

Jesus Christ is the most incomparable personality of all human history.

Socrates taught forty years, Plato fifty, and Aristotle forty. Jesus' public ministry lasted less than three years, yet the influence of His life far outweighs the combined 130 years of the three gretest philosophers of all antiquity.

Jesus never painted a picture, yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and many other artists found in Him their inspiration.

Jesus did not write poetry, but Dante Milton, and scores of the world's greatest poets have been inspired by Him like no other. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the name of Jesus "Is not so much written as ploughed into the history of this world."

Jesus wrote no music, yet Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, Mendelssohn, and a myriad of others reached the highest perfection of melody in compositions about Him.

Jesus has affected human society like no other. The incomparable Christ is the good news. And what makes it such good news is that man is so undeserving but that God is so gracious.

By John MacArthur, taken from "Truth for Today"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 9-12
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 17-18 & John 3:19-36
Historical: Isaiah 64-66
Chronological: 2 Samuel 11-12 & I Chron. 20
Blended: I Kings 3-5 & Matthew 6:19-34

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Are You Horizontal or Vertical?

"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Isaiah 5:21

Many of us have been trained to make decisions and respond to problems in a horizontal way instead of vertical. Operating from a horizontal basis means we try to fix the problem through our own self-efforts by bringing greater pressure upon it through our reasoning or our natural skills. Operating from a vertical position means we are seeking God for the answer and waiting for him to impact the problem. Perhaps it is a spouse who fails to put their clothes away, or a boss who is overly critical, or an employee that you clash with. When we operate horizontally we attempt to shame or coerce the other to change their ways.

God knows the solution to the problem before it ever exists. Our responsibility is to ask God for help to solve the problem and to rely on Him for the outcome. The minute we take on the responsibility, God quietly stands by to let us experience failure until we decide to seek Him for the answer.

One of the best examples of the contrast between a vertical and horizontal dimension in scripture is that of King Saul and David (see 1 Samuel 25). King Saul thought the way to preserve his kingdom was to kill David. While in pursuit of him there were several occasions when David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but David chose to wait upon God's timing and await his own deliverance because he understood authority. David had such respect for those who had been put in authority by God over him that he would not take matters into his own hands.

Saul represents the exact opposite of this principle. He thought David was the problem and sought to get rid of him through force. As a result, he lost his kingdom because he chose to rule horizontally instead of vertically under God's rule in his life.
No matter what problem you face today, stay vertical with God.

By Os Hillman, taken from "TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 6-8
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 15-16 & John 3:1-18
Historical: Isaiah 59-63
Chronological: Psalm 65-67 & 69-70
Blended: I Kings 1-2 & Matthew 6:1-18

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Superstitious Shadows

"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly." I Timothy 4:7

Faith honors God by accepting the biblical revelation of the divine character. Faith lets God be what He says He is and adjusts its concepts accordingly. Superstition degrades the reputation of God by believing things unworthy of Him. One rests upon fact and the other upon fancy.

As I said before, there is probably a streak of superstition in everyone, even in the genuine Christian. Any notions we may have of God that have not been corrected and purified by the Word and the Spirit are likely to have some element of error in them, and the religious beliefs resulting from them will of necessity contain a certain amount of superstition. The Christian who flares indignant at such a statement as this and denies that it describes him is not therefore free from superstition; he merely compounds his faults by adding bigotry and anger to the rest.

But if superstition dishonors God, is it not an evil thing and is not the Christian who harbors it guilty of serious sin against the Majesty in the heavens? . . .

Thought: Faith accepts God as He is revealed in Scripture and changes thought and action accordingly. Superstition seeks to change God to fit superstitious thought and action.

By A.W. Tozer, taken from "The Size of the Soul"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: 2 Chron. 2-5
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 13-14 & John 2
Historical: Isaiah 54-58
Chronological: 2 Samuel 10, I Chron. 19 & Psalm 20
Blended: Jonah & Matthew 5:27-48

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 25-27
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 7-9 & John 1:1-28
Historical: Isaiah 45-48
Chronological: 2 Samuel 8-9 & I Chron. 18
Blended: Numbers 32-34 & Matthew 4

Sunday:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 28 - 2 Chron. 1
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 10-12 & John 1:29-51
Historical: Isaiah 49-53
Chronological: Psalm 50, 53, 60 & 75
Blended: Numbers 35-36 & Matthew 5:1-26

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Timing is Everything

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

For several decades, George Burns and Gracie Allen entertained audiences with their unique humor. With George as the straight man and Gracie as the dizzy but lovable wife, they moved from vaudeville to radio to television - and into the hearts of millions.

Fro this husband and wife comedy team, everything depended on depending on each other. His questions set up her repaid-fire explanations. Her concluding one-liners needed his deadpan responses. The ability to reply at the right tie - and in the appropriate manner - made their comedy sparkle.

There's a mystique about timing. When it's right, it's fabulous. When it's wrong it's a disaster. It takes listening to the inner self to make it world. Not just in comedy, but in all of life.

We speak of the right timing to get married, to start a business, to have children, to change jobs, to risk a new venture, even to take a vacation. Some of us sense this timing intuitively; others plan it. Either way, we know that timing makes a difference. It affects our outlook and success, so sometimes we stop and say, "It's not the right time yet." And even if they don't understand, people make room for a delayed decision.

Oddly, we forget to give the same room to God.

Maybe it's because we know He's capable of doing anything, but we get impatient waiting for God. We forget that He waits for the right timing too. IN fact, He knows the perfect timing, even though it looks illogical to us. His ways are not our ways, and neither are his timetables our timetables.

But when we wait for His timing, nothing can compare with its abiding impact on us.

By Judith Couchman, taken from "Women's Devotional Bible 2"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 22-24
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 4-6 & Luke 24:36-53
Historical: Isaiah 42-44
Chronological: Psalm 25, 29, 33, 36 & 39
Blended: Numbers 29-31 & Matthew 3

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Do You Worship The Work?

"We are God’s fellow workers . . ." 1 Corinthians 3:9

Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral, or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; that is, a worshiping child, not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind, or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.

But the opposite case is equally true--once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing--to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.

We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might . . ." (Ecclesiastes 9:10 ).

By Oswald Cambers, taken from "My Utmost For His Highest"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 18-21
Old and New Testaments Together: 2 Kings 1-3 & Luke 24:1-35
Historical: Isaiah 36-41
Chronological: 2 Samuel 7 & I Chron. 17
Blended: Numbers 26-28 & Matthew 2

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Agreeing With God

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." Matthew 15:8

The caller to the radio program mentioned religion, so the radio talk show host began to rant about hypocrites. “I can’t stand religious hypocrites,” he said. “They talk about religion, but they’re no better than I am. That’s why I don’t like all this religious stuff.”

This man didn’t realize it, but he was agreeing with God. God has made it clear that He can’t stand hypocrisy either. It’s ironic, though, that something God opposes is used by some people as an excuse not to seek Him.

Jesus said this about hypocrisy: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:8-9).

Notice what Jesus said to perhaps the biggest hypocrites of His day, the Pharisees. In Matthew 23, He called them hypocrites—not once, not twice, but seven times! They were religious people who were putting on a big show, but God knew their hearts. He knew they were far from Him.

Non-Christians who point out hypocrisy in us when they see it are right in doing so. They are agreeing with God, who also despises it. Our task is to make sure our lives honor the One who deserves our total dedication. — Dave Branon

Hypocrisy is a common sin
That grieves the Lord above;
He longs for those who’ll worship Him
In faith and truth and love. —Bosch

Taken from "Our Daily Bread"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 15-17
Old and New Testaments Together: 1 Kings 21-22 & Luke 23:26-56
Historical: Isaiah 31-35
Chronological: Psalm 89, 96, 100-101, 105 & 132
Blended: Numbers 23-25 & Matthew 1

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Mankind's Box

"For in HIm dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9

If we were to think of this world as a time-space dimension, then a closed box could represent it, with God outside of the box. It is impossible for mankind to escape the box because, by definition, the natural cannot enter into the supernatural. That which is confined to time and space cannot escape into eternity and infinity.

Because there is something within man that longs to know what is outside the box, he invents deities into existence, which is how religious proliferate. Different religions become an extension of man's desire to escape his box, but man's longing to transcend the box cannot be overcome because he is confined to the box by his very nature.

Is there a way to escape this box? Yes, the good news is there is a way, and it's through Christ. Christianity acknowledges that you can't get out of your box but proclaims that God has invaded the box from the outside. Jesus Christ has entered into your world to show you how you can dwell with God forever. Won't you accept His invitation?

By John MacArthur, taken from "Truth for Today"

Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 12-14
Old and New Testaments Together: 1 Kings 19-20 & Luke 23:1-25
Historical: Isaiah 28-30
Chronological: Psalm 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47 & 68
Blended: Numbers 20-22 & Rev. 22

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

What's Your Emotion?

"Lord, I will thank you with all my heart; I will sing to you." Psalm 138:1

It's incredible that anyone could look at the kindness of God, the faithfulness of God, and the goodness of God and not feel any emotion of gratitude.

By Max Lucado, taken from "Walking with the Saviour"


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 9-11
Old and New Testaments Together: 1 Kings 16-18 & Luke 22:47-71
Historical: Isaiah 23-27
Chronological: 2 Samuel 5:11-6:23 & I Chron. 13-16
Blended: Numbers 17-19 & Rev. 21

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

Weekend Bible Reading

Bible Reading Guide:

Saturday:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 6
Old and New Testaments Together: I Kings 12-13 & Luke 22:1-30
Historical: Isaiah 13-17
Chronological: Psalm 133
Blended: Numbers 13-14 & Rev. 19

Sunday:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 7-8
Old and New Testaments Together: I Kings 14-15 & Luke 22:31-46
Historical: Isaiah 18-22
Chronological: Psalm 106-107
Blended: Numbers 15-16 & Rev. 20

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible

May's Memory Verse

James 1:2-4

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

James 1:2-4 (NASB - New American Standard Bible)

April's Memory Verse: Jeremiah 30:17

March's Memory Verse: James 1:5

February's Memory Verse: John 15:5

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

December's Memory Verse: Lamentations 3:22-23

November's Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 2:15

October's Memory Verse: Proverbs 16:1-3

September's Memory Verse: Proverbs 17:9

January's Memory Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

Remember the key is to review review review. Always review the verses you've already memorized along with learning this month's verse.


Bible Reading Guide:

Beginning to End: I Chron. 3-5
Old and New Testaments Together: I King 10-11 & Luke 21:20-38
Historical: Isaiah 9-12
Chronological: 2 Samuel 5:1-10 & I Chron. 11-12
Blended: Numbers 9-11 & Rev. 18

The Bible reading guides will be taken from Back to the Bible